higbee



(No Model.) J. B. HIGBEE.

TRAY.

Patented June 17, 1884,

I'NVENTOR.

WITNESSES:

Ffv YHT ATTO R N EY.

If. PEYERS. Pheurlhhagnpher. Via-Mush). D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT Urrrcn.

JOHN B. HIGBEE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

' TRAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,472, dated June 17,1884.

Application filed April 30, 1884. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN B. HIGBEE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered a certain new and usefulImprovement in Trays, of which improvement the following is aspecification.

In the accompanying drawings, which make part of this specification,Figure l is a perspective view of a combined tray and tea-set. Fig. 2 isa sectional detail View of the tray.

The object of my invention is to so construct a handled tray thatvarious articles can be conveniently arranged and carried on said tray;and to this end my invention consists in the construction andcombination of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described andclaimed.

The tray l is made of glass or any other suitable material, and of anydesired circumferential outline--viz. circular or polygonal, as shown,or with a scalloped edge. Around the edge of the tray is formed anupwardlyprojecting flange or edge, 2, for the purpose of preventing thearticles placed thereon from sliding off, and on the under side of thetray is formed a bead or rim, 3. Centrally on the upper surface of thetray is formed a boss or projection, 4, through which is formed anopening for the reception of the threaded stem of the handle 6, which isheld in place bythe nut 7, screwed upon the stem 5, said nut fittingintoa suitable recess formed for its reception. The

upper part of the handle maybe made of any desired shape or size, butshould be of sufficient length to project above any articles that may beplaced thereon. The upper surface of the tray is divided into a seriesof compart ments or seats by ribs 8, for the reception of feet or standsof the articles to be placed th ereon. These ribs may be arranged in anydesired manneras, for instance, in the case of a tray having a polygonalcircumference, the ribs may extend from the corners to the center boss,4, as shown in the drawings, or they may be arranged so as to formcircular seats for articles having circularly-shaped feet. It is alwaysdesirable that the seats should correspond in outline to that of thefeet of the ar ticles to be placed therein, as shown in Fig. 1, wherethe feet 9 of the articles 10 are deltashaped to correspond with. theshape of the seats formed by the ribs in this case.

I am aware that trays having main and secondary bottoms forming betweenthem a closed space for the reception of various articles have beenprovided with a central handle; but I am not aware that an uncovered oropen-topped tray has ever been madewith a centrally-located handle.

I claim herein as my invention" 1. An uncovered or open-topped tray, incombination with a handle arranged and se cured in the center-of thetray, substantially as set forth.

2. A tray provided with a series of seats or compartments in the uppersurface, in combination with a handle arranged and secured in the centerof the tray, substantially as set forth.

Intestimonywhereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN B. HIGBEE.

\Vitnesses:

' S. HARVEY Trromrson,

DARWIN S. OLGOTT.

